Overview

Belgium, the "battlefield of Europe", is a founding member of the European Union and serves as a cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe. The official languages are Dutch, French and German. The capital is Brussels.

Culture

Belgium produces over 500 kinds of beer and is home to the world's largest brewery based in Ibev. Other foods include steak-fries, salads, mussel-fries, pralines and of course, the world famous Belgian waffels and chocolates. If sports is more your thing, you'll find a thriving cycling and football (soccer) community here. Auto racing is also popular.

History

The country gained freedom in 1830 after the Belgian revolution but did not draft an acceptable constitution until 1967. Germany invaded Belgium in 1914 during World War I, using it as a western front. Again Germany invaded during World War II, conquering the country by using a strategy known at the Blitzkrieg. After the war, Belgium joined NATO and houses their headquarters in Brussels.